More Iconic Aircraft - Hill Air Force Base Museum Visit - lots o pics….

[civilsmoker]

Those are some very cool birds and thanks for the ride along!
Qe have the Mighty 8th museum nearby and I've got to take the grands to see them.

Keith

https://museumofaviation.org/

Keith, this one should be pretty close and it has a VERY nice collection including the king of speed SR -71….the actual record holder bird…….

It’s on my list next time in those parts again…..

 

[BGKYSmoker]

I also worked with the F-5G later known as the F-20 Tigershark. The plane that out flew the F-16 at USAF Plant 42. Rollout was Aug 1/82 test pilot Gen Chuck Yeager which I met a few times. The f20 went to the Paris air show a few time to see if they could get over seas buyers. Swiss was very interested in it.

We had 2 f-17 mothballed in the out hangar that were camo gray/blue for the Navy. They didnt like it much because of the landing gear. Mc Donald Douglas stole the plans and renamed it to F/A18. Northrop sued the hell outa them so they named it the Mc Donald Douglas/Northrop F/A18. I gotta find my pics.

Palmdale engine run dock

The one at the far end was painted BMW Gray. You may have seen it in the hangar on independence day when the president walked in with Dr Otem.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

https://museumofaviation.org/

Keith, this one should be pretty close and it has a VERY nice collection including the king of speed SR -71….the actual record holder bird…….

It’s on my list next time in those parts again…..

The XB-70 Valkyrie hit mach 3.08. Skunky hit 3.5

 

[civilsmoker]

I also worked with the F-5G later known as the F-20 Tigershark. The plane that out flew the F-16 at USAF Plant 42. Rollout was Aug 1/82 test pilot Gen Chuck Yeager which I met a few times. The f20 went to the Paris air show a few time to see if they could get over seas buyers. Swiss was very interested in it.

We had 2 f-17 mothballed in the out hangar that were camo gray/blue for the Navy. They didnt like it much because of the landing gear. Mc Donald Douglas stole the plans and renamed it to F/A18. Northrop sued the hell outa them so they named it the Mc Donald Douglas/Northrop F/A18. I gotta find my pics.

View attachment 703731

Palmdale engine run dock
View attachment 703732

The one at the far end was painted BMW Gray. You may have seen it in the hangar on independence day when the president walked in with Dr Otem.
View attachment 703733

The XB-70 Valkyrie hit mach 3.08. Skunky hit 3.5

Dude the things you have been apart is nothing less than priceless!!!! It would be a hell of an evening to have some wings and a pint to just hear stories!

Chuck was a legend!

My only claim to fame is when when I was working on a project in the big school “hearts in space” ie putting an artificial heart on the space shuttle to record what happens to blood in space, Jake Garn came to the lab for a visit and talk about space….that was a pretty cool experience for sure!

 

[civilsmoker]

I also worked with the F-5G later known as the F-20 Tigershark. The plane that out flew the F-16 at USAF Plant 42. Rollout was Aug 1/82 test pilot Gen Chuck Yeager which I met a few times. The f20 went to the Paris air show a few time to see if they could get over seas buyers. Swiss was very interested in it.

We had 2 f-17 mothballed in the out hangar that were camo gray/blue for the Navy. They didnt like it much because of the landing gear. Mc Donald Douglas stole the plans and renamed it to F/A18. Northrop sued the hell outa them so they named it the Mc Donald Douglas/Northrop F/A18. I gotta find my pics.

View attachment 703731

Palmdale engine run dock
View attachment 703732

The one at the far end was painted BMW Gray. You may have seen it in the hangar on independence day when the president walked in with Dr Otem.
View attachment 703733

Ps the fam just watched the Blue Angles documentary on the F/A 18 very cool footage and perspective

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Dude the things you have been apart is nothing less than priceless!!!! It would be a hell of an evening to have some wings and a pint to just hear stories!

Chuck was a legend!

My only claim to fame is when when I was working on a project in the big school “hearts in space” ie putting an artificial heart on the space shuttle to record what happens to blood in space, Jake Garn came to the lab for a visit and talk about space….that was a pretty cool experience for sure!

That is a hellva project and very cool.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

F-20 over EAFB.

 

[civilsmoker]

F-20 over EAFB.

View attachment 703909

Very cool! The lines on that are just clean and sleek!!!

 

[BGKYSmoker]

When the Paris airshow was going on, aircraft companies from around the world would go trying to sell their aircraft. Civilian & Military. Only our pilots and ground crew got to go. When they came back they had a big shin dig for the rest of the employees.

I think this is all I save from the event besides some pics.

 

[civilsmoker]

That cup is in pretty good shape! It would have been something to be there for that for sure!

 

[BGKYSmoker]

B-2 Low fly from USAF Plant 42, Palmdale.

 

[civilsmoker]

B-2 Low fly from USAF Plant 42, Palmdale.

View attachment 704099

Not many people have seen that in person!!! Very cool!

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Oh and I forgot about the YF-23A...AKA ATF..Advanced Tactical Fighter. We called it the gray ghost. It went up against the LMartin F22 and did out fly it but the AF said they liked the 22. I gotta find my 1oz silver coin with the ATF on it.

First view at EAFB June 22, 1990.

 

[SmokinEdge]

@BGKYSmoker
Here is a video on the development of PAV-1 and PAV-2. It’s about 50 minutes long, but very instructive of the development of both the YF-23 and YF- 22 .

Maybe you will recognize some names and technical things in the video. Please report back if this is a legit video, thank you.



YT video is goofy, just click the watch on YouTube link, it works.

 

[civilsmoker]

Oh and I forgot about the YF-23A...AKA ATF..Advanced Tactical Fighter. We called it the gray ghost. It went up against the LMartin F22 and did out fly it but the AF said they liked the 22. I gotta find my 1oz silver coin with the ATF on it.

First view at EAFB June 22, 1990.

View attachment 704138

That looks like a Klingon bird of prey just wicked!

 

[SmokinEdge]

That looks like a Klingon bird of prey just wicked!

These are fascinating birds for sure. My wife was navy and worked the training squadron for NAS Miramar with F-14’s (VF-124) we love them all.

 

[civilsmoker]

@BGKYSmoker
Here is a video on the development of PAV-1 and PAV-2. It’s about 50 minutes long, but very instructive of the development of both the YF-23 and YF- 22 .

Maybe you will recognize some names and technical things in the video. Please report back if this is a legit video, thank you.



YT video is goofy, just click the watch on YouTube link, it works.

Yes, please any info would be welcomed! And just saying why on earth didn't they keep both??????

 

[SmokinEdge]

Yes, please any info would be welcomed! And just saying why on earth didn't they keep both??????

That is my first thought. One should have been adapted for Naval carrier use and one for land AF use. Either much superior to the F-35 in my opinion. Those are both BA American ingenuity.

 

[Fueling Around]

Yes, please any info would be welcomed! And just saying why on earth didn't they keep both??????

That is my first thought. One should have been adapted for Naval carrier use and one for land AF use. Either much superior to the F-35 in my opinion. Those are both BA American ingenuity.

That was the advent of the JSF or Joint Strike Fighter concept that would be a common platform across the Navy, Air Force, and Marines. Nice idea by a politician, but sucked in reality.
Never was involved with the air frames, but supplied a lot of electronics during my time at Boeing.

 

[SmokinEdge]

That was the advent of the JSF or Joint Strike Fighter concept that would be a common platform across the Navy, Air Force, and Marines. Nice idea by a politician, but sucked in reality.
Never was involved with the air frames, but supplied a lot of electronics during my time at Boeing.

I agree. And the world has never seen anything like either the YF-22 or YF-23. That technology and all the money invested in the YF-23 was wasted. Something close to 650M just gone. That’s insane. We as a nation should use both of those technologies. Just my opinion.